Argentina may miss WC: Veron
Thursday, 17 September 2009
BUENOS AIRES, SEPT 16 (AP): One of Argentina's most senior and respected players - midfielder Juan Sebastian Veron - acknowledged the South Americans may miss their first World Cup since 1970. "It could happen," Veron said on Tuesday in an interview on La Red radio. "Anything could happen. The situation is not the best. It all depends on us."
Argentina has lost three straight World Cup qualifying games, leaving the Gauchos in fifth place in South America. The top four teams advance automatically to the World Cup in South Africa. No. 5 faces a playoff with the No. 4 team in North and Central America and the Caribbean.
Veron is the first player to openly acknowledge the shortcomings of coach Diego Maradona and top Europe-based players like Lionel Messi.
"There are great players, but the coach has not gotten us to play like a team," Veron said.
Veron explained why Messi, ranked by many as the top player in the world, excels with his club Barcelona but has done little with Argentina.
"Barcelona plays its style," he said. "It has players that pass quickly, that move quickly. On the national team, we wait for Lio (Messi) to beat five players by himself and score a goal." Argentina wraps up regional qualifying next month - at home against Peru on Oct. 10 and at Uruguay on Oct. 13. "The important thing today is to look critically at our ourselves, which includes players as much as the coaching staff. I hold hope we will still make it."
Argentina has lost three straight World Cup qualifying games, leaving the Gauchos in fifth place in South America. The top four teams advance automatically to the World Cup in South Africa. No. 5 faces a playoff with the No. 4 team in North and Central America and the Caribbean.
Veron is the first player to openly acknowledge the shortcomings of coach Diego Maradona and top Europe-based players like Lionel Messi.
"There are great players, but the coach has not gotten us to play like a team," Veron said.
Veron explained why Messi, ranked by many as the top player in the world, excels with his club Barcelona but has done little with Argentina.
"Barcelona plays its style," he said. "It has players that pass quickly, that move quickly. On the national team, we wait for Lio (Messi) to beat five players by himself and score a goal." Argentina wraps up regional qualifying next month - at home against Peru on Oct. 10 and at Uruguay on Oct. 13. "The important thing today is to look critically at our ourselves, which includes players as much as the coaching staff. I hold hope we will still make it."